Concern for People and Concern for Work in Management
CONCERN FOR PEOPLE AND CONCERN FOR WORK IN MANAGEMENT
One of the most recent challenges of a typical manager in many establishments is the trouble of determining how much of attention should be given to production and the need of workers. A manager who concentrates on the various flimsy excuses of his workers is not likely to be a productive manager. Likewise a manager whose attention and focus is mainly on the work to be done, would also be a bad leader even though he attains a productive result. A modern day manager and administrator will therefore have to learn how to make a balance between his/ her concern for people and concern for work.
One of the most widely known leadership styles theories called Blake and Mouton Managerial Grid explains how the use of this Grid can assist leaders to analyze their “concern for people” and “concern for production” which is the mission of the organization. In case of educational institutions, the mission is educating students. Obviously both concerns are very important to the health and mission of educational institutions. Leaders work with people (concern for people,) for the education of students (concern for production) and these concerns are not isolated from each other. Rather, these concerns must interact constantly within leaders. The diagram below (adapted from Durosaro and Ogunsaju 2000) shows the management 9x9 Grid with the five leadership patterns most often observed in organizations. The first digit describes the leader’s concern for production while the second describes the concern for people. A score of 1 indicates low concern and a score of 9 shows a high concern. Concern for Work
9
8
7
6 Concern
5
One of the most recent challenges of a typical manager in many establishments is the trouble of determining how much of attention should be given to production and the need of workers. A manager who concentrates on the various flimsy excuses of his workers is not likely to be a productive manager. Likewise a manager whose attention and focus is mainly on the work to be done, would also be a bad leader even though he attains a productive result. A modern day manager and administrator will therefore have to learn how to make a balance between his/ her concern for people and concern for work.
One of the most widely known leadership styles theories called Blake and Mouton Managerial Grid explains how the use of this Grid can assist leaders to analyze their “concern for people” and “concern for production” which is the mission of the organization. In case of educational institutions, the mission is educating students. Obviously both concerns are very important to the health and mission of educational institutions. Leaders work with people (concern for people,) for the education of students (concern for production) and these concerns are not isolated from each other. Rather, these concerns must interact constantly within leaders. The diagram below (adapted from Durosaro and Ogunsaju 2000) shows the management 9x9 Grid with the five leadership patterns most often observed in organizations. The first digit describes the leader’s concern for production while the second describes the concern for people. A score of 1 indicates low concern and a score of 9 shows a high concern. Concern for Work
9
8
7
6 Concern
5
References: Blake R. R & Mouton J. S (1987).The Managerial Grid III: The Key to Leadership Excellence. Houston: Gulf Okorie A. N (2000). Leadership in School in in Femi Durosaro and Segun ogunsaju (Ed) The Craft of Educational Management. Ibadan: Reginason Book Publishers. by Olaifa Adeseko Sunday>